THE old-fashioned butchers' block is putting the plastic chopping board on the chopping block.
"A butchers' block is the Porsche of the culinary world," Geelong butchers' block maker Ian Royce says.
Originally a chef, Ian hung up his apron 20 years ago to craft a modern version of the block, which traditionally stood like a table in the middle of a butcher shop.
"It was used to break up a steer, sheep or whatever," Ian says.
"If you hit it with a meat cleaver the block wouldn't break."
Ian, 42, says when he retired from commercial kitchens he couldn't stand cooking at home with flimsy, modern-day chopping blocks.
"I wanted something multi-purpose I could use every day and still pound my schnitzels on," Ian says.
To make the blocks, Ian mounts redgum wood on a steel frame and patiently sandpapers the surface.
The blocks are finished with natural caranuba wax, which is heat-resistant and easy to clean.
Ian sells his butchers' blocks to butchers, chefs and home cooks, starting at $1700.
"You can always tell ours, where the legs actually become part of the cutting surface," he says.
"You are working on something that is rock-solid, and it will last more than 100 years."
Disabled workers make the blocks in a program run at Geelong, providing them with employment and skills.
"This is a job they can be proud of," Ian says. "It's a world-class product."
For details, phone (03) 5272 3303.
